CURRENTS: PLAYTHINGS; Not Necessarily Cute or Cuddly

Paul Budnitz, above, is the owner of Kidrobot, which sells cutting-edge toys for the over-12 set. Such items are a perfect way to merge the commercial and fine arts, said Mr. Budnitz, 36, whose background includes software design and filmmaking. At his SoHo shop (his first is in San Francisco), articulated Gumby dolls ($6.95 and $8.95, one of the few familiar American toys) share space with $200 (and up) limited editions like Spraycan Monster and a set of three hip-hop spacemen, the De La Soul figures. Junkie, a vinyl-and-plastic toy, above right, is by Michael Lau, and modeled after a fellow Hong Kong graffiti artist ($119.95). Kidrobot is at 126 Prince Street (Wooster Street); (212) 966-6688 or www.kidrobot.com.